Back For Her
by Sydney K. Ivashkov
Summary: A year has passed since Nick left his blanket with Madison. Nothing can make her day better, except maybe one thing.


**Summary: **A year has passed since Nick gave Madison his blanket, and he still hasn't returned. Nothing could make her day any better. Except, maybe one thing.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own, nor am I affiliated with the _Power Rangers_ franchise in any way. Rights to Madison, Nick, Chip, Vida, Xander and Toby belong to Disney.

**A/N: **I recently started writing a one-shot a day on my fic journal. This is the third day and I have been peer pressured into posting it on here. I hope you all like.

_"Are you coming back?" Madison asked Nick, unable to hide the small amount of hope in her voice. In the short time they'd known one another, she had grown rather attached. Too, attached, actually. Madison had a crush on the red ranger, but she'd never admit to it. Ever._

_"I'd like to come back," Nick answered, "if I had something to come back for." Nick wanted Madison to want him to come back. He wanted her to actually say it, but in reality, he knew better than that. Even if Madison wanted him to, she wouldn't say it. There was really no certainty that she felt the same way either._

_"There is!" Madison answered, Nick couldn't resist perking slightly. Was she going to ask him to come back for her? "There's Xander, Vida, Chip," Nick's face fell, why couldn't she just say it? "Umm... Toby, Phineas, LeeLee..." She was intentionally naming off as many people as she could without coming out and telling him she wanted him to come back. "And... and me," she said finally. "I want you to come back for me."_

_That was all Nick needed to hear. He picked up his red baby blanket and handed it to her. Her eyes met his in confusion as she took it. "Will you hold onto this for me?" he asked her, only to get a nod in response. Madison pulled the blanket close and watched him ride off into the sunset. The blanket was a promise to her that one day, he'd return._

Sunlight streamed through Madison's window and her eyes fluttered open. Something made her feel somewhat unsettled, uneasy. She couldn't pinpoint it, though. She sat up, pushing the baby blue blanket that was on top of her off before she placed her feet on the carpeted floor. In her arms rested another blanket, but this one was red. When her eyes landed on that blanket, that was when she realized why today was such an off day. It had been exactly a year since Nick, Udonna and Lienbow left. Nick still hadn't returned to her, and she was slowly starting to wonder if he ever would. Had he given her the blanket as a memory and not a promise?

She set the blanket down on the bed before standing up. She suddenly wanted to hide away in her room all day and try to forget everything that ever had to do with Nick, but she couldn't. She had to work today. Work. She'd helped Nick get the job at Rock Porium in the first place. Work reminded her of him along with everything else. The forest, her wand. _His blanket._ As much as she wanted to forget him, she couldn't seem to leave the room without the blanket. She picked it back up and held it close to her as she walked out of the room and down the stairs.

Her parents and her sister were already up and in the kitchen. She could hear plates moving around before she even got there. Vida was more than likely setting the table while their mom finished cooking. Madison walked in and Vida immediately looked toward her sister with a concerned expression. She knew as well as Maddie did what today was. Her eyes fell to the blanket that was clutched tightly to Madison's chest and sighed softly. She was actually angry with Nick for hurting her sister.

Breakfast was a blur to Madison, and by the time she realized it, she was at work. Everyone could tell that Maddie was in a mood, but everyone understood as well. While everyone else was having fun, Madison stood behind the counter, the baby blanket still very close to her and her camera nearby as well. Usually, Madison would be filming everyone in a moment like this, but Nick's words from long ago rang through her head. _"You hide behind your camera."_ Everything was about Nick today, she really couldn't help it.

Toby walked in and looked around for a moment. Something seemed odd to him, but he couldn't pinpoint it. "Xander, I have some work I'd like you to do in the office. Chip and Vida, I would like for you to run a few errands for me." His eyes fell on Madison last. "Maddie, stay here and help customers."

_Oh joy._ She was going to be alone and thinking about Nick now. As each person filed off to do their job, Madison sat behind the counter and pulled the baby blanket close to her. Sadly, she knew that nothing could cheer her up. Her eyes fell on the video camera and she picked it up, beginning to film the empty music store. "This is how my heart feels," she said to the camera.

She moved the camera around the room to get each inch of the store, but stopped when a face popped into the camera. Now she was seeing things through her camera that she ought not be seeing. She sighed softly, lowering the camera to get Nick's face out of her mind, but now with both eyes and no camera in front of them, his face was still there. She blinked a couple of times thinking that he would vanish like he had a year before, but he remained. "N-Nick?" she asked, still believing she was seeing things.

"I'm back, Maddie," Nick said, an amused smirk on his face. Actually, he hadn't intended to stay gone so long. He'd wanted to come back sooner, but he hadn't been able to. Now, seeing the dumbfounded look on Madison's face, he knew he was back where he belonged. He waved a hand in front of her eyes when she didn't respond. "You there?"

Madison couldn't believe it. She wanted to, but she felt as though if she started believing Nick was really back, he'd disappear. When his hand moved in front of her eyes, she swatted it away, feeling a surge of electricity at the point her hand made contact with his. Her eyes closed a moment before reopening and seeing him once again. "You're really back?" she asked, the same hope lining her voice that had been there when she'd asked if he was returning.

"Yeah," he answered with a nod. The hope that was in her voice made him happy. He'd feared by now that Maddie might have moved on. Not that there was really anything to move on from, but he didn't want her to be someone else's. He wanted a chance to take her as his when he returned. He was back, but he was still unsure if he had that chance or not. Madison was a beautiful girl and any guy would love to have her. Nick certainly would. "Remember? I promised."

Madison's eyes fell back to the counter, which she was now standing directly in front of. On top of it lay the baby blanket that had been in her possession exactly a year. Nick's promise to her that he would one day return. He nodded. He did promise and she had remembered his promise. Every day for a year. She reached over and picked up the blanket. "I do remember," she said, holding the blanket in front of her. "I guess you want this back," she said, extending her hand.

Nick's hand reached out, but it didn't grab the blanket, it grabbed her other hand and pulled her close. Before, he'd been afraid of telling Maddie how he felt because he wasn't sure how it would affect their friendship or the team. Now, however, he had come back for her and it was obvious she was glad to see him back. How glad was the question. She had brought his blanket to work with her. Did she do that every day? Or was it today because he left exactly a year ago. Either way, that simple gesture gave him the courage he needed.

He'd pulled her so close that their bodies were almost touching. Keeping her hand in his, he took his free hand and lifted her chin so that when he looked down at her, their lips were only inches apart. His heart was pounding in his chest and he could feel Maddie's pounding too. "You keep it," he answered her. "I have what I came back for." Before she could respond, or even think of a response, his lips descended on hers, their first kiss ever.

The kiss seemed to last forever, and maybe it did. Maddie had no perception of time while the kiss was happening. She wasn't even sure what was reality or fiction. For once in her life, her own little world was becoming a true reality. She didn't want the kiss to end.

"It's about time those two gave in," a voice said at the door. The kiss broke instantly and Madison's head turned to the voice. Seeing Vida and Chip standing at the door, a huge smile on Vida's face, Maddie blushed brightly. Vida had been angry with Nick that day, but seeing Nick and her sister lip-locked made everything go away. Vida just wanted Maddie to be happy.

"Xander!" Chip called toward the office. "Isn't part of your job to keep employees from making out on the clock." Madison's blush turned even more red and quite possibly matched Nick's blanket. Her head hid against his chest and his arms wrapped protectively around her.

"It's okay," he whispered softly. "I'm here to stay. I promised I'd come back for you. And I did."

**A/N: **Please feel free to leave reviews, constructive criticism only.


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